


The Ransom

by Saradi



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Family Feels, Feels, Fluff, Here for Dadron!, Humor, Other, dad!Theron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:55:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26704066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saradi/pseuds/Saradi
Summary: With admiration and thanks to O. Henry.
Relationships: Female Jedi Knight | Hero of Tython/Theron Shan
Kudos: 3





	The Ransom

Theron

“Hey, how’re you?” I said, rounding the doorway into the room, a huge friendly smile plastered on my face. Instantly six blasters pointed at me. I held my hands up, indicating I wasn’t planning on going for my weapon. I didn’t need to. Cait, Corso and Scourge were stealthed and getting themselves into strategic positions around the room.

“Daddy!” Alex said, from the security pen to my left. He was sitting with a small Zabraki girl playing some baby game I’ll never understand. They both seemed cheerful and none the worse for wear.

“Hey, Buddy,” I said.

Let…let me start at the beginning. 

We’d been in negotiations with a diplomatic team from Coruscant when a message came from the Day Care center. There had been a break in. Two of the children had been taken by a team of bounty hunters disguised as delivery people.

One of them was our son, Alex, six, the other was the tiny daughter of the Zabraki diplomat from Coruscant. The small girl was 4. We tabled our discussions and made a hasty beeline for the Day Care.

The teacher was beside herself, crying hysterically. Cait kneeled next to her chair.

“Alanna, I really need you to help by focusing on my questions. I know this is frightening and upsetting, but your help can make all the difference in finding them.”

She sniffled into a tissue and nodded. “I’m sorry, I’ll try.”

“So, there were four men?” I asked, as gently as I could. My pulse was up.

“Three and a woman,” she said. “They held blasters on the _children_. Who _does_ that?”

Idiots do, I thought, but kept quiet, my arms folded, standing behind Cait with the diplomat.

“They wanted Sarenda,” she said, looking at the diplomats. “They came in the room and went straight for her.”

“Were they after Alex, too?” Cait asked.

“I..no..I don’t think so. He said something to one of the men, and they took him too. He can be sassy…” she said apologetically.

Don’t I know it, I thought. “Did you hear what he said?” I asked.

“He waved his hands at him and said ‘me, too’, like he _wanted_ to be taken. He wasn’t scared at all.”

Cait glanced up at me. 

“Did the person he said that to answer?” she asked.

“He said ‘We have to take this kid, too.’ Then they were gone."

Cait and I looked at each other. Alex had Force Persuaded one of the abductors to take him with them. He wanted to protect their first target, Sarenda.

“He’s a good kid,” I said to her unasked question: why?

He had made friends with the diplomat’s young daughter. The two had been inseparable during the two weeks they’d been there. We Shans have excellent taste in those we love.

If I was unhappy this had taken place in a high-security area, basically under our noses, Lana was beside herself.

The mother was very upset. “But where did they go?” she asked. “Have we heard from them?”

We were assuming a ransom demand was forthcoming, and it was.

We were face to face with one of the kidnappers on a holocall. He looked a little frazzled, but who knows what kinds of illegal substances are floating around with these people?

“We want two hundred million credits sent to this account.” A number was downloaded. “Or you’ll never see these kids again.” 

I heard an adult scream and Alex and Sarenda’s laugh in the background. I could only imagine. Only years of training and practice allowed me to keep a straight, concerned face. 

I nodded. “I need proof of life, pal.” I said.

He turned the camera towards a security pen where Alex was showing off for the little girl. He had one of the kidnappers Force Lifted on the other side of the pen shield and was slowly turning him upside down. Things were falling out of his pockets as the man tried unsuccessfully to right himself. Sarenda was laughing and applauding – both things Alex really likes a lot. 

“See? They are fine. Now send the money and we’ll tell you where to come get them.”

“It will take a little bit to gather that large of an amount,” I said, stalling for time. 

“Just do it, or we kill the kids.” He abruptly snapped the channel closed.

“And thank you for that little chat,” I said, as Vette nodded. She’d triangulated the location of the signal. 

“My dear, after you.” I said to Cait, gesturing toward my shuttle.

“Corso, Scourge, will you come?” She asked.

Both voices answered affirmatively, indicating they were heading toward the shuttle now.

So…. we are back in the room with the kidnappers.

“Hey…we didn’t get any credits. You WANT us to hurt these kids?”

“Who hurts little kids?” I asked. “What’s wrong with you?”

The guy sputtered 'That one is a little Sith monster in a kid's body! I don't even know why we brought him too, we were supposed to just get the girl....weren't we..?" he looked confused.

"Oh, no, that's not right." I said. " He's a Jedi. His godparents are Sith, though. He learned all the really nasty stuff from them. Certainly not from me or his mother."

Luckily, snickering doesn't break stealth.

“I’ve had enough of you,” the largest of the group said, bringing his blaster up.

“Oh don’t do..” He was lifted in the air and was struggling to breathe. “..that. From what I hear, it's complicated to strangle and lift at the same time, and he's just learning that - doesn't have a lot of control. Hope he doesn't hurt you,” I said with bright cheerfulness. 

Then I said, “Put the blaster down and he’ll put you down.”

The guy dropped it, and the rest of the group put theirs down too. 

"Honey, put the nice kidnapper down, please." I said to Alex.

"Okay." He answered.

Predictably, the guy hit the floor hard, after being unceremoniously released by my son, who had turned back to Sarenda.

I looked at the group, now not looking quite as smug as they had when I came in.

"So, about the kids?" I asked.

“What about the money?” The woman in the bunch asked. They were staring at me menacingly. The part they didn't realize was that some of our best friends and closest co-workers were, in many cases, the most dangerous criminals in the galaxy. This wasn't much of a challenge. They'd have to do better than this, and it just didn't look like they were going to be able to.

Besides, even though we knew Alex was destined to be a very powerful Jedi, and (hopefully) a force for good, he was only six. If you could be Force-persuaded by a six year old, you weren't the sharpest tool in the shed. It gave me an idea.

“Oh, yeah. Well…let’s see…” I looked at Alex force flinging pieces of a puzzle the kidnappers had given the kids, probably hoping to keep them quiet. The guy slapped his face every time one hit him. They had no way to know what we had learned from experience - that even the most innocent child's toy could be a weapon in the wrong hands.

“…I suppose 400,000 credits would do it." I looked up at the ceiling, my eyes narrowed. I looked back "Yep, 400,000 credits and we take them off your hands.”

“What?” the big guy said “But …” clearly this negotiation wasn’t going the way they expected.

“Yeah, I see your point.” I said as I watched the guy’s chair slowly being pulled toward the pen. Sarenda was watching with wide-eyed admiration. “Ok, you drive a hard bargain, but 300,000 credits and we are gone. Kids..outta here. Off your hands. Out of your…” I winced as Alex pulled the guy’s hair to get him to stand up. “…hair.”

I could see Cait’s outline, the three of them were in place.

“So whaddya say?” I asked. My hands spread in a conciliatory gesture.

Just then, Cait, Corso and Scourge appeared. Lightsabers and blasters ready.

The kidnappers were already on edge. That pushed them all the way over. 

“Oh..o..okay.” The smallest of the group said. “You got a deal. Here’s the money.” I verified a transfer of 300,000 credits. Corso shot out the forcefield holding the kids in the pen.

“Daddy!” Alex said, running over and hugging my knees.

He looked up at me. "She needed me," he said by way of an explanation for the whole thing.

"I know she did, Buddy. I know."

He clearly takes after his mother with his ability to give me heart failure.

Alex went back and took Sarenda by the hand. 

“Time to go.” He said. She trustingly took his hand and followed him out the door to where Corso was standing.

My heart.

"I've got them, Commander" he said.

“And I’ve got _them_.” Scourge said, indicating the kidnappers.

To them he said, "You thought you were going to be set free?" and chuckled in that tone he uses to frighten small children.

“I’ll be along as soon as we get the planetary authorities here to take them into custody. You get everyone back to base.”

“Will do,” I said. 

“What about the..” Cait began.

“College fund.” I said, smiling at her as we headed with the rest of the group to the shuttle and home.


End file.
